Very interesting statistics from Portugal, but I'm not convinced that in this country we actually incarcerate people for using drugs; I think we incarcerate people for dealing in drugs. And I remain committed to doing that, simply because of the damage that is done to our young people by pulling them into the county lines and absolutely destroying their lives is really, really damaging. And therefore I'm not yet convinced about the case for decriminalisation.

And I wonder whether it really is going to be that magic bullet anyway, because addiction is a symptom of distress. There really isn't much difference between addiction to gambling, to alcohol, prescription drugs, pornography or substances that are currently illegal. All of them are a cry for help, and it's really about better understanding how we can have more emotionally resilient individuals to enable them to resist the addiction that causes them to try and drown their sorrows but can actually consume their lives, literally, and those of their family members as well. So, I think we have to make sure that we have the services to help people overcome their addictions, which is perfectly possible. And I think we should pay tribute to all the people who work with addicts of all varieties to ensure that they are able to become better citizens and live better lives.